Sarah Jane Paddock & Dr. Glade During Presentation

Author: Sarah Paddock | Major: Communication Sciences & Disorders | Semester: Fall 2022

I was chosen to present my thesis at the 2022 ASHA Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana. This experience is something I will never forget, and it has made me even more grateful for the profession of speech pathology. While in New Orleans, I was able to attend mini sessions at the conference, stop by different informative booths, and present my thesis. The mini sessions I went to were informative. I was able to walk around the convention center to tables that had handouts, activities, and photobooths. I follow a lot of speech pathologists on social media and some of these well-known speech pathologists had tables at the convention too! I was able to connect with professors and speech language pathologists from all around the country. My iPoster presentation was an hour and a half. During this time, I gave an overview of my project and was asked questions from attendees to further analyze my conclusions and findings. It was truly an amazing experience.

Prior to the convention, I was invited to apply for a program at the convention called Promoting the next Generation of Researchers or PROGENY. This program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to connect with an experienced researcher. The PROGENY program matches individuals with a partner who will view their poster and connect with them during their assigned live session at the convention. Prior to the convention, I received a faculty-researcher partner conformation, and I was paired with a professor from Oklahoma State University with whom I was able talk about my future research interests. This was a great opportunity where we were able to discuss my future research interests and potential graduate school opportunities. The PROGENY program helped me make important connections that I believe will be useful in the future.

One of my favorite parts of the convention was hearing the perspectives of speech language pathologists who came to my presentation from varying work settings. I was able to talk to SLPs who utilized telepractice in the clinical, medical, and school settings. For the most part, the SLPs I heard from agreed with the findings and conclusions of my project. It was rewarding to see how my work from the past two years was confirmed with SLPs from all over the country. I am so grateful for University of Arkansas and my professors for encouraging me to apply to present my thesis at this convention. It was a once in a lifetime experience and I know that I will benefit from the attendance as I continue to pursue my master’s degree. Dr. Glade and Dr. Frazier were a huge part of making this happen, and I am thankful for their support throughout this process.

I believe that the University of Arkansas has prepared me well for the next step of my education and I hope to remain here for my master’s program. I have the utmost respect and admiration for my professors and fellow students. My professors have encouraged me every step of the way. From recommending that I apply to the honors program to encouraging me to present my thesis project at the ASHA convention, these professors and advisors have walked hand in hand with me throughout this journey.  Undoubtedly, this academic quality and support system will continue into the SLP masters’ program.  Thank you for your support.